South Australia in
2013: A year of extreme heat and record high temperatures

The year of 2013 started with very hot conditions across South Australia,
with persistent extreme heat across large parts of the State for much of
January. Record high temperatures were observed several times throughout
the year, with many areas experiencing extensive and prolonged heat
events. Total annual rainfall across the State tended to be near average
despite large parts of the State having very much above average to highest
on record rainfall through June and July. Rainfall became scarce through
the second half of the year from August, with monthly totals across the
state tending below average.

The warmest year on
record for South Australia

Highest
on record temperatures observed in January, March and September

Rainfall for South
Australia as a whole near average

The first half of the
year was wetter than normal and the second half of the year drier

Record warmest ocean
temperatures along much of the South Australian coast in 2013

Temperature

The mean temperature (the average of daytime maximum temperatures and
overnight minimum temperatures) for South Australia as a whole for 2013
was 1.6 °C above the long-term average. This resulted in the warmest year
on record for South Australia (more than 0.4 °C warmer than the previous
record set in 2009) with several sites around the state observing their hottest year on record.

Adelaide (Kent Town) had an annual mean temperature (average of the daily
maximum and minimum temperatures) of 18.3 °C, which is 1.0°C above the
long-term average and the equal second warmest with 2009 for Adelaide, and
only slightly less than the hottest year on record for Adelaide in 2007
when the annual mean temperature was 18.4°C. Adelaide also recorded its
warmest start to spring, with a mean daily maximum temperature through
September of 22.3 °C (3.3 °C above the long-term September average, and
beating the previous record by more than one degree).

Maximum temperature

The year began with extensive heatwave conditions in place across much of
South Australia, particularly in the north. While southern areas saw some
relief from the heat as weak cold frontal systems tracked across the Great
Australian Bight, the heat persisted across inland areas for much of
January. Oodnadatta, in the far north of South Australia, observed a
record run of seven consecutive days with maximum temperatures above 45 °C
and some sites observed their highest
temperature on record. Further details on this event are available
in Special
Climate Statement 43. Moomba Airport reported the hottest day of the
year for any location in the State with 49.6 °C on 12 January; the highest
temperature of the January heat event and the highest temperature recorded
in South Australia since 1960 as well as a record highest for this
location. This was also the sixth hottest temperature ever officially
recorded in Australia, and the hottest for Australia in 2013.

A prolonged heatwave event in March saw autumn 2013 maximum temperatures
1 to 2 °C above average across much of the State. Several locations
including Robe, Mount Gambier, Streaky Bay and Adelaide observed their
hottest autumn days on record. Spring saw another heat event, with record
high daily September temperatures reported across several locations
throughout pastoral districts. September as a whole for the State was
extremely warm, with an anomaly of +5.39 °C, beating the previous
September record by almost two degrees, and also the largest anomaly
observed for any State or Territory in any month.

The annual maximum temperature across the State for 2013 was 1.9 °C above
average, more than 0.5 °C above the previous warmest year observed in
2005. The entire State observed maximum temperatures in the highest decile
(highest 10 percent of 104 years of observations), with 66% of South
Australia having highest annual-averaged daytime temperatures on record.
Daytime temperatures ranged from 17.7 °C at Mount Lofty to 31.0 °C at
Oodnadatta in the north of the State with several sites observing their highest mean daily maximum temperature on
record and some other sites having their highest
mean daily maximum temperature for at least 20 years.

Daytime temperatures for the Adelaide region were above average and the
warmest since 2009. Adelaide saw maximum temperatures averaged across the
year of 23.5°C, which is 1.2°C warmer than the long term average and equal
3rd warmest on record for daytime temperatures.

Minimum temperature

As with daytime temperatures, minimum temperatures were highest on record
for South Australia for 2013. The statewide annual minimum temperature for
2013 was 1.2 °C above the long-term average. Minimum temperatures were in
the highest decile for 85% of the State, with 35% of the State observing
the highest minimum temperature on record. Coolest nights were observed at
Keith (Munkora) with an average of 8.4°C, while Oodnadatta had the warmest
nights on average with 15.8 °C. Several locations across the State had
their highest mean daily minimum
temperature on record while other locations had their highest
mean daily minimum temperature for at least 20 years.

Adelaide saw minimum temperatures averaged across the year of 13.2°C,
which is 1 °C warmer than average, and the warmest nights since 2009 and
equal 2nd warmest on record.

Minimum temperatures were generally above average across most of the
State from January through to September. However, October and November saw
generally below average minimum temperatures, particularly across eastern
districts. The warmest nights for any month occurred in September, with
most of South Australia observing the warmest September nights on record.

Rainfall

South Australia as a whole received 87% of the long-term average rainfall
throughout 2013 (i.e. 13% below average). Parts of the Northeast Pastoral
received very much below average rainfall, while elsewhere across South
Australia rainfall totals for the year were mostly near average with some
coastal areas tending above average. Some locations observed their highest
total rainfall on record or their highest
total rainfall for at least 20 years. The second half of the year
was very dry for northern parts of the State. Moomba had no measureable
rain at all from July to November, and only 10.8mm from 1 June to 31
December. Most locations in the Northeast Pastoral reported less than 10mm
since 1 July.

The most significant rainfall events for the year occurred at the
beginning of June, when a broad low pressure trough crossed the State,
producing widespread rainfall over most districts. The passage of a low
pressure system on 11 June and another on 21 June resulted in the wettest
June in 9 years for the state as a whole. The wettest day was observed at
Murray Lagoon (Hawks Nest) on Kangaroo Island where 150.8 mm was recorded
in the 24 hours to 9am on 12 June, a record high daily rainfall
observation for any month for this location in 125 years. Flinders Chase
(Rocky River) also had a record highest annual daily rainfall with 82.8 mm
(see sites with their highest daily
rainfall on record.)

For the agricultural cropping areas, the April to October growing season
rainfall was generally above average, with very much above average falls
from April through to July. Rainfall from August onwards tended to be
below average across most of the State except for the Lower Southeast.

Adelaide (Kent Town) received in 507.4 mm of rainfall through 2013, near the
long-term average of 549.4mm. In comparison 2012 recorded 527.2
mm for the year, despite also experiencing drier than average conditions in
the second half of the year. The last year with above average rainfall for
Adelaide was in 2010 with 592.6 mm.

Notable events through 2013

• January 4 – Adelaide reached 45 °C for only the fourth time on record.
• January 7 - Severe thunderstorms developed across the north of the
State, with Tarcoola recording a wind gust of 93 km/h.
• January 12 – Moomba reached 49.6 °C, the highest temperature recorded in
South Australia since 1960, and the sixth hottest temperature ever
officially recorded in Australia.
• January 24 – A trough associated with ex-tropical cyclone Peta, combined
with a cold front, moved across western parts of the State. Coober Pedy
recorded gale force winds and very dusty conditions with average wind
speeds up to 63 km/h recorded in the evening.
• February 15 – Severe thunderstorms and heavy rainfall occurred across
the West Coast of South Australia damaging sheds, fences and trees in what
could have been a tornado. Large areas of small hail fell between Streaky
Bay and Ceduna, with fallen trees and localised flash flooding in
Adelaide’s northern suburbs.
• February 27 – Severe thunderstorms in the Northeast Pastoral and
Flinders districts produced heavy rainfall, with daily totals in excess of
50 mm at several locations.
• March 7 to 8 – Severe thunderstorms in the Lower Eyre Peninsula produced
heavy rain with daily rainfall totals of in excess of 40 mm observed at
several locations. A low pressure trough on the 8th then produced a 102
km/h wind gust at Coober Pedy.
• March 21 – Severe wind gusts at several locations in the southeast of
the State and the Adelaide Hills, with lightning starting a number of
fires.
• May 20 – Severe thunderstorms from a cold front moved across the
southeast of the State producing 1-2 cm diameter hail near Bordertown.
• May 31 to June 1 – Widespread rainfall across South Australia, heavy at
times in the Adelaide region and Mount Lofty Ranges, produced localised
flooding and fallen trees. The highest rainfall recorded for the two day
period was 105 mm at Millbrook Reservoir and Lenswood in the Mount Lofty
Ranges, with Millbrook Reservoir recording 66 mm in a six hour period.
• June 12 – A low pressure system delivered heavy rainfall across southern
parts of South Australia, with Murray Lagoon (Hawks Nest) on Kangaroo
Island observing a record high daily rainfall total of 150.8 mm in 125
years.
• July 4 – Thunderstorms across Lower Eyre Peninsula and Kangaroo Island
produced a tornado which produced damage northwest of Port Lincoln.
Squally westerly affected southern coastal districts with a vigorous cold
front. Severe wind gusts of 90-95 km/h were recorded at Cape Borda and
Parndana on Kangaroo Island and at Cape Jaffa in the Lower South East
district.
• July 18 – Severe thunderstorms tracked across northern SA producing a 95
km/h wind gust at Leigh Creek Airport. Gale force winds occurred around a
low pressure system in the south of the State producing tree damage in
northern Adelaide suburbs and on the Fleurieu Peninsula and Victor Harbor
area.
• August 3 – Severe thunderstorms associated with a front tracked across
the southeastern districts producing a tornado witnessed by several
people. Shortly after, a second tornado caused damage on a property at
Keilira, 30 km northeast of Kingston.
• August 16 – Strong to near gale force northerly winds ahead of a
vigorous front affected central parts of South Australia. Gale force
winds were recorded briefly at Port Augusta and at Port Lincoln where a
yacht broke its moorings. Wind gusts of 90-96 km/h were recorded at
Wudinna on the West Coast and at Minlaton on Yorke Peninsula with the
frontal passage.
• August 18 – A vigorous cold frontal system across southern districts
produced gale force winds over Kangaroo Island and the Mount Lofty
Ranges. Gusts of 98 km/h were recorded at Cape Borda and 93 km/h at
Strathalbyn and tree damage was reported.
• August 21 – A short-lived tornado damaged three properties on the
northern outskirts of Adelaide.
• August 28 to 29 – Severe thunderstorms tracked across central and
eastern South Australia producing wind gusts to 100 km/h at Coober Pedy
late, 95 km/h at Woomera, 95 km/h at Mount Crawford and 91 km/h at Kadina
where trees and fences were damaged.
• September 9 – Severe thunderstorms produced damaging wind gusts of 95
km/h at Mount Crawford in the Mount Lofty Ranges.
• September 16 – Severe thunderstorms produced heavy rain in the southeast
of the State. Flooding was reported from Penola where 51 mm of rainfall
was recorded in 24 hours.
• September 17 – An intense cold front produced strong and gusty winds in
the west of the State, with wind gusts to 91km/h recorded at Nullarbor,
and to 100km/h at Oodnadatta.
• September 23 – Strong northerly winds raised large areas of dust in the
north of the State. At Marree Airport a mean wind speed of 69 km/h with a
gust to 91 km/h was observed. A large area of raised dust originating from
Lake Eyre was also observed on satellite imagery, with a maximum extent of
approximately 400 km long by 60 km wide.
• September 25 to 26 – A fast-moving trough of low pressure over South
Australia produced damaging winds and thunderstorm activity on the Lower
Eyre Peninsula, Yorke Peninsula, Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges, and the
Lower South East districts. There were numerous reports of trees down,
mainly about the Mount Lofty Ranges. Wind gusts up to 100 km/h were
recorded at Edinburgh Airport. Gale force winds of 65km/h were also
observed at Outer Harbor in Adelaide.
• September 30 – An intense cold front over South Australia produced
damaging wind gusts and gale force winds. Tree and property damage was
reported in the Mid North, Barossa Valley, Riverland and Adelaide Hills.
Wind gusts up to 107 km/h were recorded at Snowtown, 106 km/h at Renmark,
104 km/h at Noarlunga and 102 km/h at Loxton.
• October 2 – A low pressure system across the south of the State produced
damaging wind gusts in the Lower South East, Mount Lofty Ranges, and
Eastern Eyre Peninsula districts, and gale force winds on Kangaroo Island,
Lower Eyre Peninsula and the Lower South East districts. A wind gust of
104 km/h was recorded at Mount Gambier, with tree and storm damage
reported and a boat breaking moorings and sinking near Granite Island.
• October 9 – a cold front moved over the State, producing strong to gale
force and gusty northerly winds. Cleve on the Eastern Eyre Peninsula
recorded a mean wind speed of 63 km/h and a gust of 93 km/h.
• October 22 – an intense low pressure system over the south of the State
produced gale force winds and damaging wind gusts, with tree and property
damage reported on the Lower Eyre Peninsula and to Adelaide Oval. A wind
gust of 107 km/h was recorded at Port Lincoln Airport and 102 km/h at
Roseworthy.
• December 3 – Extensive thunderstorm activity was observed over most of
South Australia.
• December 21 – Damaging strong to gale force southeasterly winds occurred
about the southern Mount Lofty Ranges and the Adelaide Metropolitan area
early in the morning.

January
Rainfall across much of South Australia during January was below
average due to weak tropical activity for this time of the year,
with many locations receiving less than half of their average
January rainfall. Averaged across the State, January 2013 was the
driest January since 1989. Temperatures were very high at the start
of the year with extensive heatwave conditions in place across much
of the State, particularly for the northern districts. While
southern areas saw relief from weak cold frontal systems, the heat
persisted for much of the month inland.

Driest January in 24 years (since 1989) with below average
rainfall across most of the state.

Extensive heatwave conditions see record high temperatures for
several locations.

Moomba observes the highest temperature in South Australia in
54 years, and the sixth hottest temperature ever officially
recorded in Australia.

Oodnadatta has a record run of days with maximum temperatures
above 45 °C.

Rainfall rank

Maximum temperature rank

Minimum temperature rank

February
Rainfall across much of South Australia during February was mostly
near average tending above average for some areas. Averaged across
the State, February was the driest February in 4 years. Much of the
month was without significant rainfall for many locations. The mean
temperature (the average of the maximum and minimum temperatures)
for South Australia as a whole through February was 0.9 °C above the
long-term average, the warmest February for the state since 2009.

Despite remaining dry for much of month, a band of rain at the
months end resulted with some locations observing slightly above
average February rainfall.

Above average daytime temperatures for southern parts of the
State, with nights closer to average.

March
Rainfall during March was patchy. Parts of the pastoral districts
received some rainfall in the first week, but much of the month
saw little significant rainfall for most locations. Only in the
last week of the month tropical moisture combined with a low
pressure system resulted in moderate totals for many areas. The
average daily temperature for South Australia in March was 1.3 °C
above the long-term March average, 11th highest on record. Nights
were warmer than average across most agricultural areas.

A dry and hot start and cool and wet finish to the month.

Record hottest March night-time temperatures for some
locations in Adelaide and on southern coasts.

April
Rainfall totals were average to below average across South
Australia through April, as high pressure systems dominated the
weather across the State throughout the month. Through the early
part of April, weak low pressure troughs delivered only small
rainfall totals across coastal areas. The wettest period occurred
during the latter half of the month as a series of vigorous cold
fronts resulted in moderate to high totals that were mainly
concentrated about southern areas of the State. Maximum
temperatures for the month were above average across the entire
State, with Pastoral areas seeing daytime temperatures 2 to 3 °C
warmer than usual and the warmest since 2005.

Warmest April, with respect to daytime
temperatures, for South Australia since 2005 and sixth warmest
on record.

Rainfall tending average to above average across southern
districts but drier than normal in the north and the lower
southeast.

May Rainfall
throughout May was patchy. Bursts of tropical activity produced
heavy rain across northern districts mid-month with coastal areas
receiving persistent showers. Another rainfall event in the third
week of May brought welcome rainfall to most of the State; another
widespread rainfall event started at the end of the month. The
average daily temperature for South Australia as a whole in May was
2.5 °C above the long-term average; the highest May average
temperature since observations began in 1910.

Warmest May nights, and fourth warmest May days on record.

Temperatures 1 to 3 °C warmer across the State.

Average to above average rainfall across SA, with new records
at some locations.

June South
Australia received well above average June rainfall, resulting in
the wettest June for the State since 2004. Apart from the far west
and northeast where rainfall was average to below average, most
locations recorded a wetter than average start to winter. Parts of
Upper North and Flinders Ranges observed record high June total
rainfall. The wettest periods for most districts occurred between
the 1st and 3rd, between the 11th and 14th and between the 21st and
24th. Mean maximum temperatures over South Australia were generally
below average across the State, particularly for the Northwest
pastoral. June maximum temperatures were 0.3 °C below normal. Some
locations were as cool as 2 °C below average across the northwest of
the state. Nights were warmer than usual across most districts.

A wet start to winter with several locations observing record
highest daily and monthly totals.

Minimum temperatures warmer than average, being the warmest
since 2004.

July rainfall
was very much above average, resulting in the wettest July since
2006. Parts of the northern pastoral districts recorded average to
below average rainfall, while most agricultural locations recorded a
wetter than average July with some locations observing new record
high July total rainfall. The wettest periods for most districts
occurred between the 5th and 8th, between the 13th and 15th and
between the 18th and 23rd. Mean maximum temperatures over South
Australia were generally above average across the State,
particularly in the pastoral districts.

Wet conditions continue for agricultural areas with record
daily and monthly totals.

State-wide maximum temperatures mostly above average with new
daily records.

Warmest July nights in 38 years at Kent Town and warmest July
days in 11 years.

August Apart
from the southern coastal areas and the lower southeast of South
Australia where August rainfall tended above average and some
locations recording highest monthly falls, most locations across the
State saw below average rainfall to finish winter. Minimum
temperatures were widely above average across South Australia
through August, apart from areas about the Upper North. With a
State-wide anomaly of 1.4 °C above average, August 2013 is the
warmest since 2009 and the sixth warmest August nights on record.

Wet across the southeast, but dry across most of the north of
the State.

Warm nights and warm days.

September
South Australia had a record warm month. Mean daily temperatures for
South Australia as a whole in September were 4.3 °C above the
long-term average and the highest anomaly for any month on record.
Most locations in South Australia received average to below average
rainfall throughout September, apart from far western parts of the
State and the southern tip of Eyre Peninsula where rainfall was
above average.

Warmest September on record for South Australia.

Record September day-time and night-time temperatures at many
locations.

Average to below average rainfall across most of the state.

October Most
locations in South Australia received below average rainfall
throughout the month, apart from the lower southeast where above
average rainfall was recorded in a persistent westerly airstream.
While most of the eastern half of South Australia experienced cooler
than average nights, mean minimum temperatures were mostly near
average as a whole.

Windy, with increased frequent strong and gusty winds across
the state

November
rainfall was generally below average across much of the State, apart
from western and coastal areas where rainfall tended average to
above average. Most eastern districts recorded very much below
average rainfall. The daily mean temperature for South Australia in
November was 0.1 °C warmer than average, while large parts of
eastern and southern coastal areas tended cooler than average with
nights.

Rainfall tended below average across large parts of the state

Day temperatures mostly near average

Night time temperature cooler than average and coolest since
2001

December The
first half of the month saw cool conditions for the beginning of
summer owing to a high pressure ridge centred south of Western
Australia. Temperatures in the second half of the month tended above
average with much hotter conditions over central and northern areas.
The lead up to Christmas and the end of the year saw extensive
heatwave conditions across the State.

A heatwave across northern South Australia at months end
produces some record hot days

The hottest December day for Adelaide in 82 years, and third
hottest December day on record occurs on the 19th

Notes

A Annual Climate Summary is prepared to list the main features of the
weather in South Australia using the most timely and accurate
information available on the date of publication; it will generally not
be updated. Later information, including data that has had greater
opportunity for quality control, will be presented in the Monthly
Weather Review, usually published in the fourth week of the month.

This statement has been prepared based on information available at 8
am on Thursday 2 January 2014. Some checks have been made on the data,
but it is possible that results will change as new information becomes
available.

Averages are long-term means based on observations from all
available years of record, which vary widely from site to site. They are
not shown for sites with less than 20 years of record, as they cannot
then be calculated reliably.
The median
is sometimes more representative than the mean
of long-term average rain.

The Rank indicates how rainfall this time compares with the
climate record for the site, based on the decile
ranking (very low rainfall is in decile 1, low in
decile 2 or 3, average in decile 4 to 7, high in decile
8 or 9 and very high is in decile 10).
The Fraction of average shows how much rain has fallen this time
as a percentage
of the long-term mean.

The ACORN-SAT
dataset is being used for temperature area averages from December 2012
onwards. The major change from earlier datasets is that the ACORN-SAT
dataset commences in 1910, rather than 1950, and hence rankings are
calculated using a larger set of years.